Judge Robinson Denies Plaintiffs' Class Certification And Dismisses Case In Class 8 Truck Transmission Antitrust Litigation

By Memorandum Opinion entered by The Honorable Sue L. Robinson in In Re Class 8 Transmission Indirect Purchaser Antitrust Litigation, Civil Action No. 11-00009-SLR (D.Del., October 21, 2015), the Court denied plaintiffs' class certification motion, found the case does not present a case or controversy under Article III, and dismissed the case.

By way of background, the suit was filed on behalf of and the proposed plaintiffs class was a number of purchasers of Class 8 trucks from one or more of defendants' authorized sales agents or dealers.  Defendants in the action were Eaton Corporation ("Eaton") and a number of Original Equipment Manufacturers ("OEMs").  Eaton manufactures transmissions for Class 8 trucks and the OEMs manufacture and sell Class 8 trucks.  In order to assemble and sell Class 8 trucks, OEMs purchase component parts, such as transmissions, from suppliers like Eaton.  Id. at 2.